The State Library of NSW has announced the winners of the $360,000 NSW Literary Awards, with 36 Ways of Writing a Vietnamese Poem by Nam Le taking out Book of the Year.
“These winners have made history, joining an incredible list of writers who’ve gone before. I hope this recognition takes their careers to new heights and encourages them to keep up the hard work,” said Minister for the Arts, the Honourable John Graham, MLC.
“For over 40 years, the NSW Literary Awards, supported by the Government, has brought to the forefront some of the best writers in Australia and introduced readers to their meaningful work. This year is no exception, with a rich and powerful array of stories on display,” said State Librarian, Dr Caroline Butler-Bowdon.
The winners of the 2025 NSW Literary Awards are:
Book of the Year ($10,000)
36 Ways of Writing a Vietnamese Poem by Nam Le (Scribner Australia, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Australia)
Christina Stead Prize for Fiction ($40,000)
Highway 13 by Fiona McFarlane (Allen & Unwin)
Douglas Stewart Prize for Non-fiction ($40,000)
Deep Water by James Bradley (Hamish Hamilton Australia)
Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry ($30,000)
rock flight by Hasib Hourani (Giramondo Publishing)
Patricia Wrightson Prize for Children’s Literature ($30,000)
Silver Linings by Katrina Nannestad (HarperCollins Publishers)
Ethel Turner Prize for Young People’s Literature ($30,000)
Anomaly by Emma Lord (Affirm Press)
Nick Enright Prize for Playwriting ($30,000)
Three Magpies Perched in a Tree by Glenn Shea (Currency Press/La Mama Theatre)
Betty Roland Prize for Scriptwriting ($30,000)
Inside by Charles Williams (Simpatico Films, Macgowan Films, Never Sleep Pictures)
Indigenous Writers’ Prize ($30,000)
When the World Was Soft by Juluwarlu Group Aboriginal Corporation (Allen & Unwin)
Multicultural NSW Award ($30,000)
36 Ways of Writing a Vietnamese Poem by Nam Le (Scribner Australia, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Australia)
Translation Prize ($30,000)
The Trial of Anna Thalberg by Eduardo Sangarcía, translated from Spanish by Elizabeth Bryer (Restless Books)
Special Award ($10,000)
Liminal
UTS Glenda Adams Award for New Writing ($10,000 – sponsored by University of Technology Sydney)
Jilya by Dr Tracy Westerman (UQP)
University of Sydney People’s Choice Award ($10,000 – sponsored by University of Sydney)
The Lasting Harm by Lucia Osborne-Crowley (Allen & Unwin)
“The judges for this year’s awards were impressed by the fearless integrity of these Australian writers,” said Senior Judge, Dr Bernadette Brennan. “Through rigorous research, lived experience and informed imagination, they have found ways to examine difficult truths and to champion fearlessly stories that need to be heard.
“These winners, chosen from 733 entries, demonstrate the power, importance and readiness of Australian literary voices to engage with the beauty and violence of our world.”
The NSW Literary Awards are administered by the State Library of NSW in association with Create NSW. The State Library of NSW acknowledges the sponsorship of Multicultural NSW, the University of Technology Sydney and the University of Sydney.
Past winners have included such notable writers as Peter Carey, David Malouf AO, Elizabeth Jolley, Thomas Keneally AO, Tony Birch, Helen Garner, Ellen Van Neerven and Michelle de Kretzer.
For more information about the NSW Literary Awards, visit: www.sl.nsw.gov.au for details.
Image: 2025 NSW Literary Awards Winners (supplied)